A Travel Guide to Jacó, The Taboo Surf Town That's Got Far More Going for It
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Jacó was the scene of my much-anticipated surf camp at School of the World. In the day’s preceding my visit, I was being warned from every direction to be careful in this Costa Rican beach town. It’s a destination with a reputation for being as known for its beginner-friendly waves as for its after-dark transition into a land of drugs and prostitutes. While I can say the reputation checks out on both accounts, I not once felt unsafe in my full week there. I’d even go as far as to say there’s no better spot to base your Costa Rica adventures from. Besides the fact that many of Costa Rica’s top destinations (think Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and Montezuma) are within easy reach by boat, by bus, or by car, Jacó itself has quite the menu of adrenaline-pumping tours and activities of its own. By week’s end, I guarantee you, like me, will wonder where the time went. Below are a few tried and true Jacó recommendations to get your own adventure in this undeservedly taboo town started.
Restaurants & Cafes
Roasted Edge
A coffee shop run by Ocean’s Edge Ministries, this spot knows how to get creative with their caffeine. While I was in, they were sampling their Raspberry Mocha and S’mores Latte.
Sabress Kosher
This Israeli-run restaurant dishes up all the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern classics. Think falafel, hummus, shawarma, and shakshuka, all of which is best washed down with their satisfying mint lemonade.
Green Room Cafe Bar
Though I didn’t ever get to actually visit this restaurant while in Jacó, it came highly recommended for its good food, impressive Costa Rican craft beer selection, and frequent live music and events.
Soda Garabito
This is your classic Costa Rican soda that comes fully alive at lunch hour. Join the lines and get your plate filled cafeteria-style with various meats, rice, beans, and salads at a great price.
Things to Do
Spot Wildlife at Carara National Park
This beautiful national park, just 45 minutes from Jacó and minutes from the famous crocodile bridge, is best explored with a guide. Spot everything from monkeys and scarlet macaws to snakes and iguanas while following jungle trails singing with cicadas and learning about the forest, plants, and ecosystem. Entrance without a guide is $10 USD, but learn from my mistake and go with a guide for their sharp eye, binoculars, and expertise. This guided tour on Viator has great reviews and includes the entrance fee.
Visit the Tarcoles Crocodile Bridge
While you could just do a quick drive-by to this notorious Jacó spot to view the massive crocodiles that sunbathe beneath the bridge, I’d recommend going for a river cruise with local experts to get even closer. This guided crocodile watching tour comes highly recommended and is locally-operated by passionate guides like Jason Vargas, who’s appeared on Discovery Channel, NatGeo , Animal Planet, and the BBC.
Go for a Canyoning Tour
Jacó is an adrenaline junkie’s playground and canyoning is a great way to not only get the blood pumping, but to immerse yourself in its jungle scenes and wildlife too. Due to a snafu in communication, I did not do the canyoning tour I thought I had signed up for (it was more waterfall hike with occasional rope rappelling), so I want to make sure you do get on the right tour. Here’s a link to a proper Jacó canyoning tour with glowing reviews at a great price.
Sign up for a Surf Lesson
Jacó is by definition a surf town. Further still, it’s one of the best spots in Costa Rica for beginner-friendly waves. Take it from me, I spent a week learning to surf in its swells… though I did my lessons through School of the World Surf Camp, a week-long experience that included lodging. If you’re looking for one-off lessons, here’s a highly rated surf school that offers 2-hour lessons at an incredible rate that includes your board rental and rash guard.
Hotels
School of the World Surf Camp
If you are looking for the surf camp experience in Jacó, let me point you to School of the World. They not only package your surf lessons with your stay, but you can also sign up for Spanish photo/video, and yoga classes to really round out your schedule. You can stay as short as one week or as long as multiple months, and some do! The grounds are gorgeous with a swimming pool, hammocks, and a full kitchen for guest use.
Onward Travel (and how to do it)
If you plan to travel from Jacó to points further south down the coast, places like Manuel Antonio, Quepos, Uvita, or Dominical, read my how-to on navigating the public transport. The step-by-step is included at the end of my Jacó travelogue. There’s also information in there on how to get to/from Montezuma (Nicoya Peninsula) from Jacó. In short, it’s easy enough to travel by public bus between Jacó and Uvita, either directly or with one bus transfer in Quepos.
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Accommodations: Booking.com, HostelWorld, Trivago
Tours & Experiences: Viator, GetYourGuide, EatWith, TripAdvisor
Trains, Buses, & Transfers: Bookaway, 12Go, BusBud
Car Rentals: DiscoverCars.com
Trip Insurance: Squaremouth, WorldTrips
Learn Spanish: Rosetta Stone, Babbel, Pimsleur
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